This invention relates to a contents providing system and method, a providing apparatus and method, a reproduction apparatus and method, and a program. More particularly, the present invention relates to a contents providing system and method, a providing apparatus and method, a reproduction apparatus and method, and a program by which contents can be provided in accordance with the preference of a user.
Conventionally, when a server on a network tries to provide contents to a user terminal, it changes over the bit rate or the resolution of the contents in accordance with network environments of the user terminal so as to cope with the environments of the user terminal.
However, it is difficult for the server to selectively provide contents in accordance with the preference of the user.
A system wherein a broadcast program is selected based on an emotion representative of a degree of excitation or a degree of interest of a user is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-100888 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1). In the system of the Patent Document 1, the degree of excitation and the degree of interest of a user are detected based on an image of the face picked up using infrared rays. If it is determined that both of the degree of excitation and the degree of interest are low and the user is low-spirited, then a broadcast program is selected which provides a high degree of excitation and a high degree of interest reversely to those of the user to encourage the user.
However, when contents are provided from a server on a network to a user terminal, it is difficult for a server to change the quality, sound volume, or resolution of contents in accordance with the preference of the user registered in advance or select contents conforming to the preference of the user.
Further, when contents provided to the user do not conform to the preference of the user, the user itself is obliged to input an instruction to change the contents. Thus, there is a subject to be solved that the server side can found it only from the instruction of the user whether or not contents provided actually conform to the preference of the user.
Also it is a subject to be solved that it is difficult for the server side to select, adjust, and provide contents based on the preference of the user on the real time basis.